Mold for casting large flat panels



June 3, 1947. c. H. TERRY MOLD FOR CASTING LARGE FLAT PANELS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 21, 1945 INVENTOR.

BY arkafi I 77 fig w C. H. TERRY MOLD FOR CASTING LARGE FLAT PANELS June 3, 1947.

Filed NOV. 21, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IE! it INVENTOR. fill r BY C r265 June 3, 1947. c. H. TERRY 2,421,584

MOLD FOR CASTING LARGE FLAT PANELS Filed Nov. 21, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 a if June 3, 1947. TERRY MOLD FOR CASTING LARGE FLAT PANELS 4 Sheets-Slieet 4 'Filed Nov. 21, 1945 INVENTOR BY 'arZaa/Z $7731,

Patented June 3, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to molds for casting large size, generally fiat bodies, such as building panels, slabs and the like, from plastic materials of the nature of concrete, gypsum or other cementitious compositions, and more particularly to molds for casting hollow panels of sufficient length to span from floor to ceiling, or between girders, in one piece.

An important object of my invention is to provide a mold adapted to be supported in a horizontal plane for filling with plastic material and subsequently raised to upright position to allow the material to completely fill the mold while undergoing solidification.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sectional mold comprising an intermediate form section and two side wall sections all of which are swingable about a common axis between horizontal and vertical positions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mold of the above character so constructed and arranged to occupy a horizontal position for filling an open side of the mold, and which mold is also capable of being charged through its top while occupying a vertical position.

The invention has as another object to provide in a mold of the above character, unloading means for quickly and conveniently removing cast bodies from the mold, the unloading means comprising a movable section normally constituting a bounding portion of the mold which supports the cast body therein, and displacing means for shifting the movable section outwardly of one end of the mold to release the cast body from the mold.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a mold of the above character, means to promote the removal of excess water from the plastic material filling the mold.

Still another object is to provide in a mold of the above character, means for applying a kneading action to the sides of the mold to break down air pockets and compact the material within the mold, and to promote the discharge of water therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mold of the above character which is so constructed and arranged 'as to be readily adjusted for casting bodies of different lengths, widths and thicknesses.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a mold capable of casting composite bodies of a form such that they may be subsequently stripped apart to produce two separate ribbed panels.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view, in part sectional, of a molding apparatus adapted for casting hollow building panel-s, an intermediate portion of the mold being broken away;

Figure 2 is an end view of the mold shown in Fig. l, the cores supported therein being indicated diagrammatically in cross-section;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are schematic views of the mold in the different positions which it occupies during the filling operations;

Figure 6 is a side view of the molding apparatus showing a cast panel withdrawn lengthwise therefrom, the sides of the mold being omitted for greater cleamess';

Figure 7 is a plan view of the molding apparatus with the cast panel indicated in broken lines;

Figure 8 is a detail cross-sectional view through the bottom of the mold taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1;

Figure 9 is a detail view of one of the straps adapted. to encircle a pneumatic cylinder below the mold for rotatably supporting a side of the mold;

Figure 10 is a detail view of one of the straps encircling the pneumatic cylinder and providing support for the slidable base plate of the mold;

Figure 11 is a detail view of one of the standards which supports the pneumatic cylinder above the floor level;

Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through one end of the penumatic cylinder and the piston mounted therein;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of an end of a hollow building panel, having an intermediate portion broken away, adapted to be produced in the mold of the foregoing figures;

Figure 14 is a schematic view showing the mold and cores in transverse cross-section with webs positioned therein for the casting of composite building panels, an intermediate portion of the mold being omitted; and t Figure 15 shows one of the two ribbed panels resulting after the composite panel has been stripped apart along the plane of the webs, an intermediate portion of the panel being omitted.

In the drawing is shown a sectional mold adapted for casting hollow panels from plastic materials, such as concrete, gypsum, etc. The mold comprises an intermediate open-side form section A of generally rectangular shape made adapted to be swung from open horizontal positionwhich they occupy during pouring of the plastic materialto vertical closed position-- which they occupy during solidification of the material to produce a cast panel.

The construction of the mold is more clearly disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2. Both of the side walls are of essentially the same construction. Each comprises a facing I of sheet metal overlying a series of longitudinally-extending channel irons 2 spaced a suitable distance apart to afford lateral support for the facing sheet to prevent it from spreading outwardly under the pressure of plastic material within the mold. The horizontal channel irons 2 abut and are secured to a series of vertically-disposed studs 3, also formed of channel irons, arranged at spaced intervals lengthwise of the mold. The upper and lower ends of the studs seat within the troughs of channel irons 4 and 5 extending longitudinally of the mold, and the lower margin of the facing sheet I is securely fastened to the inwardly-disposed upturned fiange of the lower channel 5, while the upper margin of the facing is slidably attached to the inwardly-disposed downturned flange of the upper channel 4. This construction allows the facing limited shifting movement in a vertical plane relative to its supporting structure for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. The two opposed facing sheets vI of the side walls B and thus present smooth parallel-disposed surfaces between which the plastic material is confined during a casting operation.

The side walls B and C each rest upon and are fastened to steps 6a forming laterally-offset shoulders of circular-shaped hinge straps 6 (Fig. 9) which encircle the pneumatic cylinder D adjacent its ends. The cylinder is supported above the floor level on bent metal standards I (Fig. 11), the arrangement being such that the side walls may be swung about the cylinder as a fulcrum to the various positions shown in Figs. 2 through during the mold loading operation.

The form section A comprises a fixed end gate 8 and a movable end gate 9 (Fig. 3) constituting the two upright ends of the mold, and a base plate I0 and a top plate II closing the lower and upper edges of the mold, respectively. The base plate I0 is slidably supported on slide blocks I2a secured to a series of circular straps I2 (Figs. 8 and 10) encircling the pneumatic cylinder D at spaced intervals therealong, and this base plate sustains the weight of the panel being cast when the mold is in closed upright position but being free to rock on the cylinder when the form section A is swung between its vertical and horizontal positions, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4.

Working within the pneumatic cylinder D is a piston I3 (Fig. 12) attached to a piston rod I4 which projects outwardly through one end of the cylinder, that is, the end of the cylinder located at the end of the mold closed by the movable end gate 9. A valved connection I6 leading off from the other end of the cylinder and communicating with both an air pressure line 31 and a suction line 38, allows the piston to be moved in opposite directions by admitting either pressure or suction to one end of the cylinder. The outer end of the piston rod carries a yoke I5 4 affixed to an extended end of the base plate It, the arrangement being such that travel of the piston rod causes sliding movement of the base plate outwardly and inwardly of an end of the mold.

A roller trackway lying in the same plane with the slide blocks I2a comprises a series of aligned standards I8 each carrying a pair of rollers I9 adapted to engage opposite margins on the under side of the base plate and thereby support the base plate as it is shifted outwardly of the mold, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

For guiding the base plate in its travel into and out of the mold, the lower face of the base plate is formed with a tongue 20 adapted to travel within clearance openings l 2b in the bearing faces of the slide blocks I20. and also within the space between companion rollers I9 supported on the standards I8. A drain pipe 2| is secured to the bottom of the tongue, extending coextensive therewith, and the clearance openings I2b in the slide blocks I2a are suitably enlarged to pass the drain pipe, thus keying the base plate to the straps I2, as shown in Fig, 8. A series'of ducts 22 leading between the drain pipe 2I and the upper surface of the base plate at spaced distances apart lengthwise of the base plate serve to carry off surplus water from the plastic material filling the mold. In order to prevent clogging the ducts with plastic material, the upper surface of the base plate is overlain by a strip of coarse wire mesh, covered by a porous screen 23 composed of canvas, coarse fabric or fine wire. A flexible hose 24, provided with a suitable control valve 24b, is

connected at one end to the drainage pipe 2| and at the other to a collection receptacle 24a in circuit with suction line 38 for promoting the removal of moisture. The hose 24 is adapted to be disconnected from the drain pipe 2| when the base plate is shifted outwardly of the mold.

The top plate II closing the top of the mold comprises a pair of spaced-apart strips I Ia which extend between and seat within notches formed in the upper ends of the end gates 8 and 9, the slot between the strips being normally closed by a cap board IIb overlyin the strips. The strips Ila with the cap board IIb are so shaped as to impress a tapered tongue in the upper edge of the body of plastic material filling the mold, while a rib 26 (Fig. 8) secured to the upper face of the base plate I0 serves to impress a groove, complementary in cross-section to that of the tongue, in the lower edge of the plastic body. When the side wall B is in horizontal position, the cap board I Ib is held in place by angle brackets 25 (see Fig. 4) loosely pinned to the side wall. .A removable section I I0 of the cap board, detachably secured to contiguous sections of the cap board by latches 45, provides access to the interior of the mold when the mold is in vertical position for adding make-up material thereto. In order to lock the sections A, B and C of the mold together, a plurality of releasable clamps 21 are hinged to one of the side walls in a manner such as to allow them to be swung over the top of the other side wall and held thereagainst by means of ca m levers 2B,

The fixed end gate 8 has its lower end extended downwardly as indicated at 8a in Fig, 1 so as to embrace opposite sides of the pneumatic cylinder D, whereby to preclude movement lengthwise of the mold but allowing it to swing with the form section about the cylinder. The movable end gate 9 rests upon the base plate I0 and snugly fits between the side walls of the mold, being free to travel with the base plate when the latter is shifted outwardly of the mold by means of the piston I4.

A vibrator 29 (Fig. 2) connected by means of a hose 30 to a source of air pressure is adapted to impart a rapid vibratory movement to the facing sheet I of the mold to compact the plastic material within the mold. Such vibratory motion is not always sufficient to break down air pockets, especially in caseswhere the plastic material is of stillly plastic consistency. There are, therefore, additionally provided kneader 3| to impart a slow kneading or pumping action to the material, these kneaders being located at spaced-apart positions lengthwise of the mold. Each kneader consists of a cam-headed lever pivoted at 32 to a stud 3 on the side wall of the mold and so designed that by manually working the lever up and down the cam head, bearing against a wear block 33 secured to the facing sheet, causes inward and outward motion of the facing sheet (by reason of its flexible mounting) which in turn alternately compresses and releases the plastic material, breaking down voids and working the material well into the crevises of the mold.

In my Patent No. 2,375,148, dated May 1, 1945, I described and claimed a collapsible core which was expansible and contractible by positive and negative air pressures, and I prefer to employ this type of core with the mold of the present invention. Reference is made to th above-identified patent for a more detailed description of the construction of the cores, and it is sufficient to say that such cores each comprises a flexible envelope adapted to be expanded and contracted by pneumatic pressure and suction and having independently movable sides composed of stiiliy flexible material with means for limiting the outward and inward travel of the sides.

When utilizing such cores E in the mold of the present application, the end gates 8 and 9 located at opposite ends of the mold are provided with openings 34 (Fig. 2) adapted to receive and support the cores therebetween. A hose 36 including control Valves 36a and 36b (the latter for regulating the pressure) connects through suitable branches 360 with the ends of each of the cores which latter project a short distance beyond the mold through the fixed end gat 8. This hose communicates with the positive and negative pressure air lines 31 and 38, respectively, which, in turn, include suitable control valves 39 and 40 for placing the hose in operative connection with either of these lines. When the cores are to be expanded the valves 36a and 39 are opened to admit pressure to the cores which swell out and seal the openings in the end gates and prevent the escape of plastic material therethrough. After the plastic material has hardened and the cast panel is to be removed from the mold, the valve 39 is closed and the valve 40 opened to suction to collapse the cores.

Th operation of the molding apparatus just described is as follows: When a building panel P is to be cast, the mold may initially occupy the position shown in Fig. 3 with the two side wall sections B and C spread out book fashion in a horizontal plane and the intermediate form section A supported in vertical position by means of an overhead hoist (not shown) having a hook 4| engaging an eye-bolt 42 in the top of the fixed end gate 8.

Form boards 43 are then laid upon the upper surface of the side wall B so as to define a rectangular frame having its inside dimensions the same as the size of the panel to be castthat is, of a length equal to the distance between the end gates B and C and of a width corresponding to the distance between the base and top plates. Plastic material is then poured into the space between the form boards'and leveled off even with their upper surfaces so as to form a plastic layer constituting the face layer for one side of the panel being cast. After pouring, the form boards are removed, and because the plastic material is of a relatively stiff consistency it will retain the shape imparted to it by the form boards.

With the cores E expanded and supported between the two end gates 8 and 9, wire netting, cut to the approximate size of a panel and adapted to serve as reinforcement for the plastic material, is placed on both sides of the cores and tied together, through the spaces between the cores, with wire, or with strips of netting with protruding ends, to lace the mesh in position and provide reinforcement against shear stresses. The overhead hoist is then operated to lowe the form section to horizontal position overlying the side wall B with the plastic layer and a portion of the wire netting confined between the cores E and the face of the side wall.

The top plate II is placed in upright position upon the side wall B, as indicated in Fig. 4, and plastic material is tamped into the spaces between the cores E. The space between the top and bottom plates and the end gates is then finished off with a second facing layer of plastic material so as to completely fill the form section. Th facing layers may be composed of the same or of a different plastic material from the material filling the space between the cores.

After it is filled with plastic material, the mold is closed by operating the overhead hoist to swing the sid wall section C about its pivotal connection with the pneumatic cylinder into overlying relation with the form section A, as shown in Fig. 5. Thethree sections A, B and C ofthe mold are thereupon locked together by means of the clamps 21 located adjacent opposite ends of the mold. The hooks 4| of the overhead hoist are engaged under a flange of the upper channel 4 of the side wall 13 and the entire mold is swung about the pneumatic cylinder D into the raised upright position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

To hake down the contents of the mold, the vibrator 29 is operated; and to assist this action, but more particularly to break down air pockets that may exist within the body of plastic material, the hand levers of the kneaders 3| are rocked back and forth to impart a pumping action to the plastic material within the mold. As the material settles, a space is produced at the top of the mold, and to fill this space the removable cap board He of the top plate II is lifted off by releasing the latches 45 and make-up material is introduced into the mold through the slot between strips I la. The excess water draining from the plastic material is drawn off to waste through the drain pipe 2|, as already explained.

Depending upon the nature of the plastic material used in the manufacture of the panel, the mold is allowed to remain at rest for such a period of time as may be required for the material to set. Then the cores are collapsed by closing the valve 39 to the air pressure line 31 and opening the valve 40 to the suction line 38, which action strips the cores away from the cast panel P, leaving longitudinally-extending openings 45 separated by end and intermediate walls 46, as

indicated in Fig. 13. The mold having been unlocked, the top plate I I is removed and side walls B and C lowered away slightly by operating the overhead hoist so as to break any adhesion of the cast panel to the facing sheets i.

By opening the valves l6 and 39 air pressure is admitted to the pneumatic cylinder D causing the piston rod I4 to travel outwardly, drawing with it the base plate l supporting the cast panel P and the end gate 9. The base plate rides upon the rollers I9 of the trackway disposed in line with the end of the mold, the movable end gate being removed and a prop 41 slipped under the outer ends of the cores E to sustain them in place (as indicated in Fig. 6) just before the panel clears the ends ofthe cores.

As the panel is shifted farther outwardly, a pole 48 is introduced through the top opening of the panel; and when the panel has completely cleared the mold, hooks 49 depending from an overhead hoist are engagedunder the protruding ends of the pole at opposite ends of the panel, the hoist then being operated to lift the panel from the trackway and carry it away either to storage or to a loading station.

The base plate l0 freed-of the panel is rolled back into assembly with the mold by closing the valve 39 to air pressure and opening the valves I6 and 40 to suction, causing the piston to retract. The movable end gate 9 is replaced and the side walls are lowered to horizontal position by operating the overhead hoist. The mold thus again occupies the position shown in Fig. 3 ready for the pouring of material preparatory to the casting of another panel.

In Fig. 14 is shown a slightly modified arrangement of the mold for casting composite members which may be subsequently separated into two ribbed panels. In this arrangement, sheet metal webs 50 are supported in place by means of clips so as to medially span the space between the several cores E, and between the cores and the base and top plates l0 and II. The plastic material is poured and the casting operations are carried out in generally the same manner as previously described. After the composite member has solidified and been removed from the mold, it is stripped apart along the plane of the webs to produce two ribbed panels P arranged in opposed reverse relation, each having the form shown in Fig. 15. The webs 50 and clips 5| may be recovered and returned to the molding plant for future use.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description, the molding apparatus is susceptible of use in two different ways. For casting panels of semi-liquid and readily fiowable materials such as gypsum, the mold may remain in upright position with both sides closed and the gypsum charged into the mold through the top of the mold simply by removing the cap board lie of the top plate ll. Thus, in actual practice, the mold may be used during the daytime for easting gypsum panels by the vertical pouring process, the panels quickly hardening and being removable in about fifteen or twenty minutes; and the mold may be used for overnight service in the casting of concrete panels by the horizontal pouring process, previously described, the mold being filled with concrete at the close of the work day and allowed to set overnight.

Th mold may be adjusted for casting panels of different dimensions by suitably selecting or positioning the end gates. To change the length of the panel to be cast the distance of the movable end gate 9 from the fixed end gate 8 may be varied; while to change the width or thickness of the panel, the end gates will be chosen according to width and height to answer requirements. Because the use of end gates of different thicknesses requires altering the space between the side walls to accommodate such end gates, the side wall sections B and C are releasably bolted to the supporting shoulders 5a of the hinge straps 6 so as to be adjusted inwardly and outwlardly along the shoulders.

In the casting of panels of plastic material of such fiowable consistency as would not retain its shapeafter the removal of the form boards 43 (Fig. 3), it will be found desirable to construct the form boards as a frame which, when the form section A is swung to overlie the side wall section B (as shown in Fig. 4), augments and constitutes in effect. a part of the form section. the purpose of the frame being to confine the facing layer against flow. In such a construction, the thickness of the end gates plus the thickness added by (the frame will correspond to the distance between the side walls-that is, to the thickness of the cast panel.

For the purpose of simplicity, the mold vibrating and kneading devices have been shown only on one side of the mold. However, in actual practice it will ordinarily be found desirable to place the mechanisms on both side walls of the mold. Also instead of employing an overhead hoist or hoists for swinging the sections of the mold about their pivotal connections, other suitable means may be used for this purpose, such for example as fluid-operated jacks.

The term panel is used herein in a broad sense to include large size generally flat bodies cast from cement, gypsum and like materials. While the molding apparatus has been described in connection with the manufacture of building panels, it will be apparent that it is susceptible of use for casting other types of bodies, such as floor and ceiling slabs, paving elements, etc. Manifestly various other changes in the construction and design of the mold just described may be made by those skilledin the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sectional mold for casting large size general-1y fiat panels from plastic material comprising a relatively narrow hollow form section having open sides, two side wall sections for closing opposite sides of the form section and means pivotally mounting said form section and side wall sections for swinging about a common horizontal axis from horizontal open to vertical closed positions.

2. A sectional mold for casting large size generally flat panels from plastic material comprising a form section and a pair of vertically disposed side wall sections located in opposed spaced relation on opposite sides of the form section, said form section comprising end gates closing opposite vertical ends of the form section and a base plate closing the bottom of the form section, means mounting the base plate for shifting movement into and out of closing relation with respect to the form section, and means for imparting shifting movement to the base plate to move the base plate and the finished panel -supported thereon outwardly of the mold.

3. A sectional mold for casting large size generally flat panels from plastic material comprising a form section and a pair of vertically disposed side wall sections located in opposed relation on opposite sides of the form section, end gates closing opposite vertical ends of the form section and a base plate closing the bottom of the form section, one of said end gates being removable, means mounting the base plate for shifting movement into and out of closing relation with respect to the form section, a trackway located below the base plate within the mold and leading outwardly from the end thereof including the removable end gate, and power-operated means for imparting movement to the base plate to shift the base plate and the finished panel upported thereon outwardly of the mold along ;he trackway.

4. A sectional mold for casting large size generally flat panels from plastic material comprising a form section and a pair of vertically disposed side wall sections located in opposed spaced relation on opposite sides of the form section, end gates closing opposite vertical ends of the form section and a base plate closing'the bottom of the form section, one of said end gates being removable, means mounting the base plate for shifting movement into and out of closing relation with respect to the form section, a series of rollers constituting a trackway leading outwardly from the end thereof including the removable end gate, a piston rod connected to said base .plat and power-operated means for moving said piston rod outwardly for imparting shifting movement to the base plate to move the base plate and the finished panel supported thereon outwardly of the mold along the trackway.

5. A sectional mold for casting large size genable, and a base plate for closing the bottom of the form section, said base plate being mounted for shifting movement into and out of closing relation with respect to the form section, means pivotally mounting said form and side wall sections for swinging movement from horizontal to upright positions, a trackway located exteriorly of and in alignment with'the end of the mold including the removable end gate, and poweroperated means for imparting movement to the base plate to shift the base plate and the finished panel supported thereon outwardly of the mold along the trackway.

6. A sectional mold for casting large size generally fiat panels from plastic material comprising a relatively narrow hollow tor-m section having open sides, said section including end gates adapted to close the opposite vertical ends of the I form section, one of said end gates being removable, and a base plate for closing the bottom of the form section, said base plate being mounted for shifting movement into and out of closing relation with respect to the mold, two side wall sections for closing opposite open sides of the form section, a fluid cylinder horizontally disposed below and parallel to the base plate, a piston adapted to travel within said cylinder, a piston rod connected tothe piston and extending outwardly through an end of the cylinder, said piston rod being operatively connected to the base, plate, hinge straps encircling the cylinder and connected to the form and side wall sections to permit swinging said section from horizontal to vertical positions, additional straps encircling the cylinder and providing slidable support for the base plate, a roller trackway in alignment with the form section leading on. from the end of the mold including the removable end gate, and means for placing the cylinder into communication with either pressure or suction to urge the piston in opposite directions to move the base plate and the finished panel supported thereonendwise relative to the mold.

7. A sectional mold for casting large size generally fiat panels from plastic material comprising a relatively narrow hollow form section having open sides, end gates closing the ends of the formsection, one of said end gates being removable, a base plate closing the bottom of the form section and being shiftable endwise with respect REFERENCES CITED The following references are of file of this patent:

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